Cohousing idea may resurface in Qualicum Beach

While the cohousing component of a recent development proposal has been dropped, the idea is still alive.

“Of the people interested, we were number one,” said Maggie Dutton. “We moved here for cohousing.”

Livewell Cohousing has dropped the cohousing component of their proposal for a 20 acre undeveloped property at Laburnum and Claymore roads. Maggie and her husband Art are hoping to gather interested people to go ahead with the idea at a different location.

Cohousing has been described as physically and legally like a strata project but more community oriented and cooperative.

“Most cohousing groups spend a year or more getting to know each other first before we decide what we want the community to look like, then maybe we bring in a developer.” said Dutton. To that end the Duttons are starting a casual group of people interested in exploring the idea further. She said that while they want to be in the Oceanside area, and she has an idea where she’s like to see it, they are wide open about where it would be and what it may look like. Interested people are invited to the first of what the Duttons plan as weekly informal meetings to pursue the idea tomorrow. Search ‘Oceanside Cohousing’ at meetup.com to connect with them.

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